What does the European Union Deforestation Regulation entail?

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) helps combat global deforestation. Check whether your products contain commodities for which you must demonstrate that they do not originate from recently deforested land or contribute to forest degradation.

The EUDR applies to all companies that sell the specified commodities or products derived from them within the EU. These include wood, oil palm, soy, cocoa, coffee, rubber and cattle, as well as products derived from these commodities. Examples include books and other paper products, chocolate, furniture or leather. Packaging around your products is excluded.

You need to know where the commodities in your products come from. What exactly you need to do depends on how the commodities are used and the size of your company.

Annex 1 of EU Regulation 2023/1115 lists the commodities and derived products that fall under the EUDR. For example, you can find out whether chocolate in biscuits falls under the rules.

Set up a due diligence system with due diligence statements. With this, you demonstrate that your products are legal and do not cause deforestation or forest degradation. You can find more information here.

For this, you collect information about the origin of the commodities, assess risks and take measures where necessary. More information can be found here. This can be done, for example, using certificates, additional checks or supplementary information. You can set up the system yourself or engage a specialised company to do this.

Then you do not need to set up a due diligence system yourself. Your supplier or an earlier party in the supply chain has already done this.

However, keep track of which supplier you purchase products or commodities from and make sure you receive the reference numbers of your suppliers’ due diligence statements. Are you a micro or small enterprise? Then you are required to keep these records. Keep the documentation for at least 5 years.

The NVWA monitors compliance with the EUDR in the Netherlands. Is the correct information missing? Then the NVWA may request bol to take measures. We may, for example, take products offline or deduct policy points.

You are responsible for complying with the EUDR. We help you with explanations and references, but this information does not constitute legal advice.

Do you have questions about the content? Please contact a legal advisory firm. Here you can find Apps & Service Providers that can help you.

Partner Service cannot advise you on this here, because this concerns European legislation

• Check whether your products contain commodities or derived products that fall under the EUDR.

• Determine which obligations apply to you. For example, use the NVWA EUDR decision aid here.

• Set up a due diligence system in time if the commodity or product has not yet been placed on the EU market. Record the origin of the commodities in this system.

• Ask your supplier for the required information and reference numbers if the commodity or product has already been placed on the EU market. Keep your records up to date.

• Keep the required documentation for at least 5 years if this is mandatory for your company.

• Keep this information in your own records. You do not need to upload it via bol.

View the NVWA information about products that fall under the EUDR here.

Read more about setting up a due diligence system for the EUDR here.

View Annex 1 (pages 38 to 41) of EU Regulation 2023/1115 for the complete list of commodities, products and corresponding reference codes here. Only commodities and products included in this list are subject to the obligation.